Baby Gas

Thursday

One side effect of baby gas is spitting up. Spitting up is very different from vomiting and it’s important to understand the difference, since vomiting can be caused by other things.

Spitting upWhen your baby has gas, he may spit up when he burps. This is not dangerous and doesn’t bother your little one, it’s simply that some of the liquid in his tummy is carried up by the rising gas. Here are the typical signs of spit up:

- Small amounts of milk come up with burps.

- Your baby doesn’t seem bothered by it.

- The liquid dribbles out of the baby’s mouth.

VomitingWhile there are occasions when your baby may vomit due to gas, these are fairly rare and vomiting often indicates an upset stomach. Call your pediatrician if your child vomits continually over a period of two or more hours, has a fever and/or diarrhea or cannot keep anything down. Here are the common signs of vomiting:

- Your baby may cry and acts uncomfortable before and after vomiting.

- A large amount of milk comes up, usually the entire feeding.

- There are usually two or more “waves” of vomit.

- Vomiting is usually much more forceful than spit up.

It is fairly rare that baby gas will cause vomiting, but spit up is a very common occurrence in babies with gas. Trust your instincts as a mother and you’ll know when things are a bit more serious than just a case of gas!

Tuesday

While most new parents are aware that burping their baby is a must, it can be difficult to know if you’re doing it correctly. You try one way, but it doesn’t get that baby gas out, while the same method works just fine for your friend’s baby. You aren’t doing anything wrong, sometimes you just need to switch techniques.

Every baby is different. Some will burp within seconds of being put up on the shoulder, others will actually burp on their own. But some just refuse to let that baby gas out! Here are a few different ways to get your baby to burp:

Over the Shoulder PatThis is the classic and the one that most new moms will be shown in the hospital. You simply put the baby upright, with his head on your shoulder and pat his back, about where his little stomach is. This encourages the gas to come up and can be very effective since gas tends to rise and therefore will go up and out the baby’s mouth.

Over the Knee PatThis is for the baby that just isn’t burping in the upright position. You may want to put down a burp cloth, since this position, especially right after feeding, is very likely to cause some spit-up, due to pressure on the baby’s tummy. Sit down and lay the baby over your lap, arms and head on one side, feet on the other and pat his back firmly.

Sitting BurpFor slightly older babies, who can already hold their heads up (this is also when it may become more difficult to burp your baby, thanks to stronger muscles in the stomach opening). Sit the baby on your lap, using one hand to support his body leaning forward slightly, and your other hand to pat his back firmly.

Knee BounceIf your little one really can’t get that gas out, try this technique. It is best used with babies who can hold their heads up fairly well. Sit the baby on your knee, supporting him with both hands and jiggle your knee to bounce him gently. This is quite effective in burp-resistant babies.

Baby gas is best eliminated by burping, but there will be times when your little ones simply won’t need to burp. This will become more and more common as he gets older. If he doesn’t seem uncomfortable after a few minutes of not burping, even though you are trying all the above techniques, he might just not have gas. In that case, let him play or sleep and don’t worry about it!

Monday

Anyone who has ever had to deal with baby colic night after night knows just how utterly draining this condition can be. Pacing the floors at all hours of the night and day with a tiny infant screaming is enough to turn the best-intentioned parent into a blubbering mess. Fortunately, baby colic relief is possible for many infants.

No one seems to know exactly what causes baby colic, but it is something that many parents deal with. The baby appears to be in pain, screaming and pulling the legs up to the abdomen. In some cases, the pain may be caused by gas, which can be resolved by giving the infant gripe water, designed to soothe tummy upsets and help the baby eliminate gas.

Colic doesn’t usually last for more than a month or two, but those two months can seem like a lifetime! Here are a few tips that may help you soothe your infant.

- Lay your baby on her back on the bed and pedal her legs as if she were riding a bike. This can also be an effective way to get out the excess gas that may be causing discomfort.

- Hold the baby upright, over your shoulder and rub her back. This position seems to calm many colicky babies.

- Lay the infant face down on your knees and pat her back.

- Even if your baby isn’t hungry, she may want to suck on a pacifier, especially if the colic seemed to appear with the onset of teething.

- Try swaddling your baby, wrapping her tightly in a blanket, with her hands at her sides. Some infants are over stimulated by their own uncontrolled arm movements and limiting them may help her sleep. Each baby is different, however.

- Movement is always a soother, but you may find yourself tiring out before your baby. Try moving her in a vibrating bouncy seat or rocker, or put her into a swing.

It can help to have someone else, a spouse or family member, to spell you once in a while. No one can deal with a screaming child day in and day out! Get support to make sure that you are able to get the rest you need and you’ll be better able to handle your baby.

Sunday

There are many causes of baby gas, but some are more common than others. It may be something as simple as having an intolerance to food that the mother is eating and then passing through the breast milk, or may be something more serious, such as a lactose intolerance.

Breastfed babies and gas

Breastfed infants get a little taste of everything their mother eats and some foods can cause more gassiness than others. While every baby is different, here are a few of the most common culprits:

If you aren’t sure what food is causing the problem, keep a food diary for a week and write down everything you eat, as well as when your baby is fussy and gassy. This will help you see a pattern.

Next, eliminate the potential problem foods and reintroduce them one at a time to see what you need to avoid. Most babies outgrow these sensitivities, so just because your little one gets an upset tummy at one month when you eat avocado, that doesn’t mean he’ll never enjoy guacamole.

Formula fed babies and gas

Most babies will tend to get more gas when bottle-fed for two reasons. One, formula is not as perfectly engineered to human babies as is breast milk, which can cause tummy problems. And, two, the bottle simply promotes gas, since it is very easy for the baby to suck and swallow air.

There are special bottles that are designed to eliminate gas. If your baby suffers frequently from baby gas colic, you may want to consider buying one of these pain-free feeding bottles.

Some babies may also be lactose intolerant or have milk allergies. If this is the case, switching to a soy or lactose-free formula may help. Talk to your doctor before doing any switching, though, to make sure it is the best move.

Baby gas is part of parenthood, at least in the early months. While you can search for the cause, sometimes there simply won’t be one. Your baby is new to the world and his little digestive system is still sorting out the kinks. Rest assured, however, that baby gas won’t last forever!

Saturday

Gas can make your little one quite colicky and when burping him just isn’t working, you’ll be searching for other alternatives. One natural alternative is anise water.

Anise seed tastes like licorice and has anti-flatulent properties. It’s also gentle on a baby’s tummy and can relieve the pains caused by baby gas. Anise water has been used for generations as a natural colic treatment.

You can make your own anise water at home or purchase it ready made. Feeling adventurous? Here’s how to make your own anise seed water.

Anise Seed Colic Water½ teaspoon anise seeds2 cups water

Add seeds to the water and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Strain off the seeds and let the water cool.

Once cool, store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can administer the colic treatment with a medicine dropper, 2-3 drops for babies under 6 months, half a dropper for up to a year.

Anise seed is not harmful to your baby, so you can repeat this treatment as needed, every 3 or 4 hours if necessary. And if you really don’t feel up to boiling some water, or just can’t find anise seeds, you can buy ready-made colic water right here.